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New Gourmet Grocer Opens in Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa - A new upscale grocer has come to town here in the form of a European-style market offering foods and services from local and international vendors.

April 24, 2007, 08:00 pm

DES MOINES, Iowa - A new upscale grocer has come to town here in the form of a European-style market offering foods and services from local and international vendors.

The 14,000-square-foot Gateway Market, which opened its doors Tuesday, features a 120-seat Wi-Fi cafe with a fireplace, adjacent to aisles stocked with groceries, beer, wine, and specialty items.

George Formaro, chef of Des Moines-based Centro restaurant and professional foodie, is a partner in the new Gateway Market, which carries such local delights as South Union Bakery breads baked on site and pastries and other sweet goods from Des Moines' La Mie Bakery.

Eat-in or carry-out meals are also offered under the tutelage of Formaro's wife, Sheila, who supervises a full-service catering service with two delivery trucks.

Cooking classes and other events will be commonplace in the store -- which was most recently a Metro Market. Chef-author Rick Bayless of Chicago's Frontera Grill is scheduled to appear in June.

Gateway's opening represents an integral piece in the rebirth of Des Moines downtown. Situated in the northwestern area known as Sherman Hill, the market is a $5 million project that joins the many lofts and apartments in the area. It is also the first of three planned downtown markets.